My first Awesome Vegan is Jetta Vegas, a writer based out of Seattle, WA. One of the awesome things about Jetta is her zine/blog, The Radical Uprise. The Radical Uprise was was born from a negative period in her life. She used social media to lash out and express her depression and angst, and woke up the next day feeling sad and embarrassed. She said she vowed to never feel that way again, and if she did, not to project that negativity out onto the www. She always enjoyed writing, and wanted to write positive and uplifting motivational words for people who felt like she did. She said she aspired to be the kind of mentor she could have used as a teenager.
"I joke that one day, I just decided to start being awesome, and that's what I did!" Said Jetta. "I began reading about the Law of Attraction and began applying it into my daily life. I've since expanded to making podcasts, which are available on iTunes, and creating tangible feel-good merch, such as zines (self-published magazines) and buttons! The Radical Uprise is a great outlet for me. I'm able to show people just how great a positive outlook on life can be while promoting a happy, healthy existence though my veganism and drug-free lifestyle. I've gotten letters from people who were contemplating suicide and they said stumbled across my website literally save their life. Realizing I have that sort of impact on people blows my mind. Being about to change people's outlooks and perspectives on life for the better brings me so much joy."
Jetta became vegan one day when she was surfing the net and she stumbled upon PETA'S "Meet your Meat" video.
"I was appalled and took a vow that I would never contribute to such a horrific and unethical industry ever again. It stemmed from not wanting to inflict harm on another being. As I ventured down my vegan path, I began noticing improved health and learned about the environmental aspects. Being vegan just seemed like the right thing to do, and there's no better feeling." said Jetta, who has now been vegan for about four years. "After being exposed to what went on behind closed doors, how could I NOT become vegan? There was no question.I wasn't even vegetarian. I was a steak and potatoes kinda person prior to the vegan lifestyle. Milk shakes for days and cheese until the end of time - until I got a rude awakening. I never imagined the horror that takes place to turn a living, breathing, sentient being into a piece of meat."
Jetta stays vegan as a mix of moral, ethics and values.
"I'm not comfortable supporting or contributing to an industry that exploits, tortures and kills innocent living creatures for the sake of human greed." she said.
Favorite Animal Rights related Quote: "If you don't like my opinions leave. But just remember, the animals can’t leave the cages that hold them. They are captive and suffering. As you cozy into your bed tonight, try to imagine the pain and the suffering that they endure day after day and night after night. Next time you get some soap in your eyes, try to imagine that pain for 3 or 4 days at a time. Next time you have a stomach ache, try to imagine liquid plumber being poured down your throat till you puke so much blood that you bleed to death. Next time you bump your head, try to imagine being a monkey and getting a steel plate smashed into your skull at 50 miles per hour. Then, only then should you feel compelled to tell me that I’m wrong about my opinions. For all these things have happened in the name of science. They continue in abundance till this day." - Rikki Rockett
